Words Are Silent, Actions Are Not
by BaronessBlixen
Summary: Very AU version of "And The Dish Ran Away With The Spoon". Daphne has doubts about her relationship with Niles. Can he show her that she's the love of his life?
1. Let Your Heart Rule the World

**A/N**: Once again, I don't really know what this is, but I think it has plot. A very AU version "And The Dish Ran Away With the Spoon." I think this is me pretending Frasier is not a sitcom.

* * *

Happiness, Niles realized, was a curious thing. Hours had passed and he was still on cloud nine. Just looking at Daphne's glowing face and shy smile, he knew she felt the same. She felt the same in every respect. It was a day for celebration. For a while Niles had ignored all the obstacles that still stood in their way. He didn't want to think of Mel, who didn't care about him and who was only interested in her social standing. Or about Donny, who was so angry and disappointed that his eyes seemed to be almost hollow. All those things circled around Niles and Daphne's bubble of love. He was reluctant to let anyone burst it. They had just found each other. Didn't they deserve a happy ending? He had been waiting so long for this. Daphne had dated frogs that had never turned into princes. This time they would both be happy together and most importantly: forever.

Reality has a way of hitting you right in the face while you're standing there smiling. At least that's what it felt like when Niles had to pose with Mel as the happy couple they just weren't. She gripped his arm too tightly, she smiled too brightly. It had never occurred to him that he had hurt her. All he'd seen was his own happiness. The fleeting thought that he'd cheated on her, physically and emotionally, passed by him swiftly. His thoughts were elsewhere; they were with Daphne. The woman he loved was finally his and he still had to spend his nights with someone else. To him, it didn't seem fair. Mel's happiness never crossed his mind. Because he was almost certain she had never concerned himself with his either.

"I'm going home now." He whispered into her ear. The smile on her face never wavered.

"You mean you're going to see Daphne."

"Daphne is my home. Wherever she is… is my home." He told her and realized how true it was. For just a second her fake cheerfulness seemed to crack, but she'd rehearsed this long enough. She leaned over and kissed his cheek. Somehow he was surprised how soft and warm her lips were. They didn't fit with her demeanor. Her perfume filled with his nostrils and as always it was just a little too strong for his taste, just a bit too much. But it only bothered him now. He knew he didn't have to live with it any longer. All his senses were longing for Daphne. Like a robot, he followed Mel and let her stage their perfect goodbye. Everyone seemed to cheer them on. Niles played along, knowing that as soon as the door closed after them, they would be going their separate ways.

"I'll call you when I need you." Mel told him outside. Luckily, he had brought his own car, because he had no idea where Frasier and his father had disappeared to. He nodded absent-mindedly.

"You always knew this would happen, didn't you?" Her soft voice yanked him from his thoughts. He turned to her in the darkness. Her voice had always had a vulnerable quality to it – and Niles knew how much she hated it. Weakness was not something she accepted. Not in herself and not in others. She had constantly tried to make Niles someone stronger, too. But she had never seen that Niles had not wanted it. He didn't see vulnerability as a weakness. Not anymore.

"What do you mean?"

"You and Daphne, of course. The only reason you went out with me was because you couldn't have her."

"No."

"I no longer believe anything you say, Niles. I know it's true. You pride yourself on being different from other men. You're not." She smiled at him and meant it to be a mean grin, but it turned out to be a sad grimace. He watched her drive off. The words she'd said stayed with him a moment, but they didn't touch him. Niles had been determined to make it work with Mel. Whatever his reasons, he had liked her. He knew he could have made a life with her. He could have been happy. At least, he wouldn't have been unhappy. When she was gone, he got into his own car and started towards the Elliot Bay Towers.

Niles wasn't sure whether dating Daphne qualified him to enter the apartment without knocking. He was too polite to try it. He had picked flowers on his way back. Now he stood in front of the door feeling like a schoolboy on his first date. How he wished they could just go to a restaurant and show everyone how happy they finally were. To be seen with Daphne as his girlfriend in public was something that had to wait however. The small shadow that loomed over the beginning of their relationship became bigger, but Niles didn't see it. All he saw was Daphne, who finally opened the door. Her smile looked strained, but he didn't see that either.

"Are you alone?" He asked with a silly grin. Daphne nodded. So Niles leaned forward and gently kissed her lips. It felt as if his feet left the ground. Somehow it still felt like a dream, being able to kiss her whenever he wanted.

"You wouldn't have kissed me hello had your brother and father been home?" Daphne tried to put humor into her voice, but she failed.

"Of course." Niles answered quickly, much too quickly. Showing his affection in front of his family still seemed strange. Wasn't that normal? He wondered. With Maris he'd never had that problem, because she hadn't shown affection, period. With Mel it had seemed so much easier. But this was Daphne. He simply wanted to do everything right, clearly she understood that.

"How was your engagement party?" Daphne asked and shuffled back to the couch. It was only then that Niles noticed she was dressed in sweats. He decided she looked beautiful in everything and joined her on the couch. He took one of her hands into his. Somehow it felt cool against his skin. He was adamant to make it warm again.

"Just a lot of snobbish people, you know. The kind of people Mel likes. I'm glad to be here with you finally."

"They're your kind of people, too." Daphne told him without looking at him.

"You're my kind of people." He said gently and squeezed her hand. She turned to him then.

"I'm not your kind of people, Niles." The sharpness of her words surprised him.

"Is everything alright?" He carefully asked.

"Oh, I don't know. I had a lot of time to think while you were out with your wife." She got up, no longer able to sit still next to him. Niles watched her pace the room. Her behavior worried him, but he felt like taking her into his arms would make everything worse. His arms longed to hold her; not being able to was like physical pain. However, it was one he was used to.

"You know I didn't want to do this, but Mel insisted."

"Yes, Mel insisted. What would you say if I told you that Donny wants to see me?" Niles felt anger rise within him.

"Did he – did he call you?"

"I called him." She told him. Niles could no longer sit down. As he got up, he felt his knees buckle. He thought this was his – and Daphne's – shot at happiness. Where had they gone wrong now? None of this had been supposed to happen. They were supposed to share a beautiful meal, to stare into each other's eyes until nothing else mattered anymore.

"Why-why-why?"

"I hurt him, Niles. He _is_ hurt. When I – choosing you, I was so happy. But then, when you kept choosing Mel-"

"I'm not choosing Mel, Daphne. I choose you. I always choose you! I love you." Daphne smiled at his words. It wasn't a happy smile. There was no glow. All he saw was a deep rooted sadness that didn't belong to this place, to her.

"You know how often you've said these words now?" At first it seemed like a rhetorical question, but when Daphne didn't continue he realized she was serious. He didn't know, so he shook his head no.

"Me neither, because you said it countless times. Too many times. If you really meant these words, would you really have to say them all the time?" Niles opened his mouth to say something, but what could he tell her? He did love her. He loved her more than words could even express.

"But-"

"No, Niles. All those years you never said them. At least not like this. You never told me you had romantic feelings for me. You chose to wait until you were married – again. You chose to wait until I was about to get married. Then you tell me and you tell me all the time now. But you know what? You don't show it." Somewhere in between, Daphne had started crying. It hurt Niles to see her like this, but she didn't want him to come closer. His heart beat faster, afraid that this was ending before it had ever really begun.

"I wanted to say them all the time and- and didn't I show you all the time how much you meant to me?" His own tears couldn't be held at bay anymore. Daphne nodded.

"Of course you showed me you cared deeply. As a friend. Your brother of all people had to blurt it out for me to understand that all these years our friendship was based on a lie. All you ever did was because you claim to have loved me."

"I do love you." Niles said and realized it was the wrong thing to tell her. She turned away as if he'd slapped her.

"You told Mel the same words, Niles. Probably the day you told me for the first time."

"But I didn't mean them! When I told Mel I didn't…"

"I think you did mean them. I think you meant them when you told me, too. I know I meant them. I do love you, Niles. But you know what? Words are not enough. If you really love me, why care at all for what Mel does? You say you don't care for her kind of people. Then why do you care what they think of you because of this, because of us?"

"She said she'd give me a quick and easy divorce." Niles answered.

"No, as always you think this is the easy way out. You waited until the last moment to tell me you have feelings for me, because it was easier than getting hurt. You're still doing that."

"Daphne, that's not true."

"Then show me. Show me you love me." She said, wiping away her tears.

"But how would I-" He stopped, knowing he shouldn't have voiced his doubts. Daphne looked more heartbroken than he had ever seen her and he didn't know how to fix this. This wasn't their happy ending. His only hope was that it wasn't an ending at all.

"See? Maybe… all these years. Maybe you don't love me. I could be just an idea of something you had. We've destroyed the lives of other people for this." She almost screamed the last words, now consumed by rage.

"I know this is going to work." Niles told and took a step towards her.

"Then show me, Niles. Show me." She whispered and disappeared into her room. He waited for the click of the door. The living room lay in perfect silence as he wondered where the happiness he'd felt earlier had disappeared to.

He knew he had to get it back. He knew he had to make Daphne realize how much he loved her and how all of this had been worth it.

_TBC_


	2. Before Your Mind Tells You To Listen

His apartment bore a likeness to a war zone. Loose papers flew around wherever Niles passed. The phone was tightly pressed to ear. He'd spent so many hours speaking to several hotels, restaurants, florists and the like that he had forgotten to eat. If he thought about it, and he really didn't have the time to, he wouldn't have remembered the last time he slept.

"I need the best chef, Silvio." Niles almost yelled into the phone. His voice was raw, his body tense. No one seemed to understand that every little detail had to be perfect. For Daphne. Ever since she told him to show him that he loved her, he had dedicated his life to it. They would spend a magical week together, she would wear the most beautiful clothes and he would always be by her side.

"That is not good enough!" Niles hung up the phone and sat down for a moment. He searched for his coffee cup, certain that he'd seen it earlier that day. A knock at the door distracted him. His heart jumped in joy, hoping Daphne would be on the other side. But she hadn't come to visit him; she hadn't even called. It was obvious she was avoiding him. Unlike Mel, who was constantly nagging him about something. But he couldn't deny her anything; she had a right to treat him like that.

"Come in." He was too exhausted to get up.

"I came to," Frasier barged in, but stopped when he saw Niles in that mess he had created.

"You came to what?"

"To take you out to lunch," Frasier said slowly as if he were talking to a child, "Niles, what happened here?" He finished in the same manner.

"I'm trying to show Daphne that I love her." His brother answered simply.

"By creating a mess?"

"No, by planning the most romantic week she has ever experienced." Concerned, Frasier came closer and picked up a few brochures. This wasn't like Niles. He was meticulous about everything, particularly orderliness.

"Niles, do you think this is what she meant?" Niles snatched the brochure away from Frasier's hand. It was for a beautiful Bed & Breakfast that he knew Daphne would have loved if they had gone there. Unfortunately, the manager had laughed when Niles had requested a private orchestra for breakfast.

"She told me to show her. What do you think this is?" It was a lot of things, but it wasn't what Daphne wanted. Frasier was sure of that much. He had spent years trying to convince Niles that he and Daphne would never happen. Then he'd found out about her feelings for him and for the first time he had actually seen it: a possibility. Suddenly, he could imagine the two of them together. So he'd helped. It looked as if his part wasn't over yet.

"Niles, you need to relax."

"I need to make plans, Frasier." Gently, Frasier tried to take the phone from his little brother, who clutched it like a life line.

"Let go."

"No.

"Niles."

"Frasier." They stared at each other, the phone like a toy between them. Neither was willing to let go of it.

"I'm not going to lose her. This- I'll do whatever she wants me to do, Frasier. I am not going to let go. I can't lose her." As his voice cracked, his fingers slipped and the phone fell to the floor. The soft thud was drowned out by Niles' soft crying. Neither man was particularly comfortable with hugging, but it was one of those moments where Frasier knew it was the only way to comfort his brother. The smaller man was shaking in his arms like a young boy. Suddenly he realized that Daphne truly was the love of his life. Losing her was not an option for Niles. Not after he had found out what it was like to have his feelings returned. It would break him.

"You're not going to lose her," Frasier assured him, "She loves you."

"Funny that you would say that," Niles replied bitterly, breaking away from the hug, "Apparently, she doesn't like these words."

"What are you talking about?"

"Daphne said all I did was tell her how I felt. She wants me to show her. How do I show her, Frasier? She's everything to me. Everything I did since – it's always been for her. Everything." The tears flowed freely again.

"I know."

"Then why doesn't Daphne see it? I've told her a thousand times. I'd say it a million times more, but she thinks… she says it's not enough."

"You think all of this will change that?" From the viewpoint of an outsider, as someone who knew these two together and apart, Frasier knew this was never going to work. Daphne didn't need pompous gestures; she just needed to know they had a future together and that whatever Niles was feeling wasn't just a crush. Something he fell back on whenever he was unconfident in his other relationships.

"I don't – I don't know how to do this. I've never felt like this before, Frasier. Maris I knew how to handle. Mel, too. But Daphne… she's just so special."

"She's scared, Niles. She was about to get married! Hell, you're married to another woman."

"I thought you were on my side." Nile replied bitterly.

"I am. That's why I'm telling you this. The way you started this relationship is not the optimal way."

"Says the relationship expert." Niles' words hurt, but Frasier knew his brother was just frustrated and tried to hurt him, because he was hurt himself.

"I'm trying to help you," Frasier explained as calmly as possible, "You're married, Niles. Up until a few weeks ago, Daphne didn't know about your feelings for her. Or even her own! You never told her. And yes, I admit I might be partly responsible, but then again when did you ever listen to me?" His smile fell flat and the empty look in Niles' eyes scared Frasier. Maybe he should have kept that opinion to himself a while longer.

"Anyway, you are married. Instead of telling Daphne how you felt, you moved on. What is she supposed to think?"

"I'd give up my whole life for her." Niles said, but it sounded like an excuse. Realization seemed to dawn on him. He began to understand what Daphne meant. In his eyes Frasier saw that Niles had only seen Daphne. He had seen her in front of him, had felt her in his arms. No repercussions as long as they loved each other. But there were lingering feelings of all kinds of sorts. For a while Niles had loved Mel. The feelings might not have been as strong as the ones he'd felt for Daphne, but they were there. In much of the same way, Daphne had planned to spend the rest of her life with Donny. They couldn't just ignore that – and Niles finally realized as much.

"I-I get it. This is not… thank you, Frasier."

"You're welcome. So now, the reason I really came here was to ask you to lunch. You weren't answering your phone." Niles smiles sheepishly. He stared at the mess in front of him and it made him feel sick. He needed to get out of here.

"Let me just call someone to get rid of this and then I could use a good, strong espresso – and I think I'm kind of hungry, too."

Niles didn't look back as he closed the door behind him.

_TBC_


	3. To The Whispers in The Night

**A/N:** It's been a long time since I updated this. Thanks to crazysockmonkeys, who decided to finish her old stories before starting anything new, I decided to do the same. So finally, here it is: the third and last part. Opinions are very much appreciated :)

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When Niles didn't call or come to see her, a little voice in Daphne's head told her she'd been right. She hadn't wanted to believe it. This was Niles after all. After all these years, she had been certain she knew him. Of all the people in the world, all the men she'd ever dated… he was the last man she thought capable of hurting her. In the moments of silence, she doubted herself. He had told her he loved her many, many times. Most women would have been happy with just that. Unfortunately, Daphne wasn't most women.

"I'm going to take Eddie for a walk." She told Mr. Crane. She avoided his glare, because there were questions in his eyes, too. She wouldn't be able to answer them anyway. Only his son could. As it turned out, he truly was the coward he had claimed to be so many times before. Daphne had hoped this was different.

The park was rather quiet this time of day. There were mostly older people or those who walked dogs professionally. Daphne wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone. She let Eddie run free and sat down on a bench. The small dog seemed confused as well. He didn't stray far from Daphne, apparently afraid to let her out of his sights. Not that Daphne noticed. She was lost in her thoughts. In her shattered fantasies.

Seven years. He had pined for her for seven years. Could a meaningless crush really hold up that long? Daphne wondered miserably. He must have put her on a pedestal. Like a princess. Now he had seen the real her – and realized that she was just not worth it. The two of them just didn't fit together. They came from different backgrounds and they were unequivocally wrong for each other. Niles had proven that with his actions. She had asked him to prove his love with actions and not words. Her plan had backfired.

"Hey there," a familiar, shy voice suddenly said. Daphne didn't need to turn around to know who he was. "Is this seat taken?" She shook her head no, unable to say anything.

"Dad told me you were here." Niles seemed hesitant to sit down next to her; he made weird, convulsive movements that drove Daphne crazy.

"Sit down, Niles." She told him with some impatience in her voice. He obeyed, but he decided to sit on the other end of the bench.

"I've missed you," he admitted, "I hope that's ok to say." She turned to him, confused.

"You haven't called me in over a week, Niles. Your brother said, and I quote 'he needs time'," she tried to say it in Frasier's voice, but it came out all squeaky and wrong, "I hope you had a grant time, cause I sure didn't!"

"I thought you wanted me to leave you alone." Niles told her.

"I wanted you to show me that you love me!" She looked around embarrassed when she realized she'd yelled.

"I-I-I don't know how. I love you. I told you I love you so many times and I-," he sighed, "What do you want me to do?" Niles wasn't prepared for the hurt in her eyes. What was he doing wrong? He didn't want to hurt her; causing her any kind of pain was the last thing he wanted to do.

"You say it, Niles," Daphne took a deep, yet shaky breath, "but what does it mean? Here we are and you say you love me. You say you've loved me for so long. You never told me. You didn't get a divorce. No, you love me and marry another woman."

"I was trying to move on, because Donny-"

"You don't blame this on me and Donny," Daphne told him in a dark voice, "I didn't know, Niles. I didn't know! This was a mistake, all of it."

"Don't say that. Don't ever say that. We're not a mistake." Niles tried to swallow the tears that threatened to destroy his feelings of braveness. This conversation was supposed to go differently. All of this was supposed to be different.

"I can't be with a man… a man who can't show me how he feels. I love you, Niles, but…" Daphne was crying and hiding her face in her hands. In a moment of spite, he almost asked her why it was all right for her to use these words and not for him. But he knew what he had to do. It was his last chance. His very last. Before everything was lost. Everything broken.

"I don't know if… when you told me to show you that I love you, I didn't know what you meant. I'm still not sure I do. Everything I do, I do for you, Daphne," she lifted her head to look at him. Her eyes were red and puffy and she was angry. Niles loved that about her; her compassion and fire. She was so unlike him. Or were they alike?

"Anyway, after you told me to show you I tried to plan the most magical week. The best hotels, the best food. Jewelry."

"I'm not Maris or Mel." Daphne told him.

"I know. I realized that. All those things, those materialistic things don't matter. That's not what you meant. I guess." He looked at her questioningly and she nodded.

"So I really did need some time to think as Frasier put it. And then I did something…" he searched around in his coat pocket and finally showed her a piece of paper. At first Daphne had no idea what it was, but then it dawned on her. A small smile appeared across her face as her heart filled with hope. Maybe, just maybe…

"I got an annulment. Mel wasn't happy, but I told her I didn't care. I also told her how sorry I was – am. Finally, she agreed. I realized that the only thing you wanted was for me to be with you. To show you that I have changed in all those years when I didn't have the guts to divorce Maris so I was finally free to tell you how I felt. As soon as I realized that, I understood you wanted me to make a commitment to _you_."

"I wasn't hoping for a proposal or anything…" Daphne said with a sheepish smile. Her angry tears had subsided. The few that still glistened around her eyes were full of joy. Of relief.

"I wasn't going to ask you. Not yet anyway," he grinned as her eyes grew wide, "but there is something I do want to ask you and it might sound awfully trite and childish." He waited for any kind of permission.

"Oh Niles, just ask me already!"

"Daphne Moon, would you be my girlfriend?"

"Yes." She answered solemnly, but couldn't help the silly grin. Quickly, Niles leaned forward and kissed her gently. A kiss as innocent as the question he'd just asked her.

"There's something else I wanted to ask you…" He trailed off, suddenly more nervous. Daphne looked at him and tried to read his eyes.

"Am I given permission to tell you how much I love you?" He asked in a soft, careful voice.

"Yes." She whispered. Before he could say the words though, she captured her mouth with his. She gathered the words from his mouth with her tongue and didn't let him speak for a while. Just this once, Niles didn't mind.

**THE END**


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